Filing and indexing equipment



J. T. QUlGLEY. FILING AND INDEXING EQUIPMENT.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 30,19l9.

9. 1T Ln 4 S a 02 W a P Abrams, H. '1'. AcKer Geo. Ad'a'ms. Chas.

LL "K K K K K K K Fatented Oct. 31, 1922.

JOHN T. QUIGLEY, 0F BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO COSTMETER COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

FILING AND INDEXING EQUIPMENT.

Application fi led June so, 1919. Serial No. 307,549.

To all whom it may concem:

Be it known that 1, JOHN T. QUIGLEY,a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Filing and Indexing Equipments, of which the following description, in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, is a specification,- like characters on the drawin representing like parts.

This lnvention relates to filing and indexing equipments, and is more particularly concerned with equipments of the class in which the sheets are arranged in overlapping relationship, although in some aspects the invention is susceptible of more general ap lication.

y invention will be best understood by reference to the following description, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings of one illustrative embodiment thereof, while its scope will be more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig, 1 is a front elevation of a filing and indexing equipment exemplifying my invention, showing the sheets depending;

Fig. 2 is an'elevation of the equipment, showing some of the sheets upstanding and others depending;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale in a plane containing the axis of one of the" sheet hinges;

Fig. 4 is a vertical, sectional view of the equipment, showing some of the sheets upstanding and others depending, as in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an elevation of a sheet-holder and sheet attached thereto, the latter being unfolded and having its inner-surfaces presented to view;

Fig. 6 is a similar elevation, ShOWiIlg the outer faces of the sheet presented to view, and

Fig. .7 is an end elevation of the sheet and sheet-holder, on an enlarged scale.

Referring to the drawings, and to the embodiment of my invention which is 1llustrated therein, I have selected for exemplification a filing and indexing equipment comprising a series of overlapping sheets 10, which may be and are herein folded, thereby increasing their capacity. The folded sheet, moreover, lends itself more readily than a single sheet to the particular sheet-holding means herein exemplified. The overlapping their identifications.

margins of the sheets will be provided with suitable numerals, letters, words or other approprlate identifying symbols, serving as an index. One such set of identifications is exemplified in the drawing.

The sheets are herein carried by sheetsupporting and positioning means comprismg. a series of rods 11 received in the folds of the sheets, and one or more, herein a pair,

of sheet-positioning elements 12, provided with ears or lugs 13 received in perforations 14 ad acent and preferably bisected by the hue of the fold of the sheet. The ears or lugs 13 are provided with suitable openings 15, in which the rod 11 is received, as best shown in Fig. 3. In the present example, the members 12 are in the form of cylindrical tubes, and the openings 15 of the cars 13 are the cylindrical bores of the tubes. The members 12 herein present shoulders or abutments 16 (see Fig. 7), which are adapted to contact with the outer face of the sheet 10. The rod 11 is received within the fold; hence the sheet is received between the rod and the shoulders. Thus the sheet and sheet-holding means are securely interlocked, and cannot be separated from each other, except by withdrawing the rod 11 lengthwise from its place in the ears 13.- Preferably, the relation between the ears 13 and the abutments 16 is such that the sheet can be opened out fiat, as illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6.

The members 12 constitute sheet-positioning means which engage one another serially, as best shown in Fig. 4, thereby spacing the sheets and maintaining the overlapping margins of the latter in a proper degree of exposure for the presentation of The ends of the rods 11 are mounted in suitable bearings, and to that end. I have herein provided a pair of guides 17 presenting opposed channels 18,

in which the ends of the rods are received, as best shown in Fig. 3.. The rods are free to slide lengthwise of these channels. thereby to permit the sheet-positioning elements 12 to move freely lengthwise of the channels, and rest against one another. Herein the rods 11 are resilient. and preferably they are made of tempered steel wires. whereby they may be bowed to reduce their lengths sufficiently to allow their ends to be withdrawn fromth'e channels 18. By this means, any sheet and sheet-holding means may be removed from its place Without disturbing any other, and may be reintroduced into the same place, or at any other point, by simply opening the index at the proper point and separating the sheets and sheet-holders to permit the reintroduction 'of the one which is removed. I

Movement of the sheets lengthwise of the rods is herein limited by the provision of a pair of shoulders 19, between which the members 12 arereceived, as best shown in the channels and shoulders.

Fig. 3. In the present example, the channels 18 and theshoulders 19 are formed by a panel 20 conveniently formed of sheet metal bent into the desired form to present The panel is herein provided with suitable stops 21 (see sheets in both directions, while still per-" Fig. 4) and 22 (see Fig. 1), to limit movement of the sheets and sheet-holding means lengthwise of the channels. 7

Thus it is evident that the described sheetpositioning means accurately positions the evident from an inspection of Fig. 4.

r In practice, it is found that the described construction presents many advantages, among them being first the accuracy with which the sheets are held both longitudinally and transversely of the rods; second, the fiat opening of the sheets; third, the lack of any tendency of the rods to sag, even in the case of flexible rods of great length and fourth, the fact that it is impossible for a given sheet and its rod to be removed, except intentionally, because it is practically impossible to bend the wire to reduce its length, except when the sheet is presented substantially flat-wise,-that is to say, in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 4. If, on

' the contrary, the sheet is swung to a position substantially at right angles to the plane of the panel 20, itjis found that a strong outward pull on the sheet fails to bend the wire sufficiently to allow its ends to become detached from the channels. This is a decided advantage, because it enables the. sheets to be handled roughly when in .use. yet without danger of their becoming accidentally detached from the panel.

Having thus described one embodiment of my invention, but without limiting myself thereto, what I claim and desire by Letters Patent to secure is:

1 1; A file comprising, 1n combination, a

support presenting a pair of opposed channels, a series of rods Whose opposite ends are received in said channels, a series of' overlapping sheets supported by said rods, respectively, and means interlocking with said support intermediate said channels and interlocking with said sheets to limit movement of the latter lengthwise of said rods.

2. A file comprising, in combination, a support presenting a pair of opposed channels, a series of rods whose opposite ends are I received in said channels, a series of overlapping, perforated sheetsf supported by said rods, respectively, and means received in the perforations of said sheets to limit movement of thelatter lengthwise of said rods.

3. A file comprising, in combination, a su )port presenting a pair of opposed channels and a pair of opposed shoulders, a series of rods whose opposite ends are receive in said channels, a series of overlapping sheets supported by said rods, respectively, and means received between said shoulders of said sheets lengthwise said shoulders and in the perforations of i said sheets to limit movement of said sheets lengthwise of said rods.

5. A file comprising, in combination, a support presenting a air of opposed channels, a series of rods w lose opposite ends are receivedin said channels, a series of overlapping sheets supported by said rods, respectively, and means carried by said rods and interlocking with said support intermediate said channels and interlocking with said sheets to limit movement .of the latter lengthwise of said rods.

6. A file comprising, in combination, a support presenting a pair of opposed channels. aseries of rods whose opposite ends are received in said channels, a series of overlapping sheets supported by said rods, re-

spectively, and means receiving said rods intermediate said channels and interlocking with said sheets to limit movement of the latter lengthwise'of said rods.

7. A file comprising, in combination, a support presenting a pair of opposed channels, a series of rods whose opposite ends are received in said channels, aseries of overlapping perforated sheets supported by said rods, respectively, and. means received in the perforations of said sheets and in turn re-.

ceiving said rods, and limiting movement of said sheets lengthwise of said rods,

8. A file comprising, in combination, a

support presenting a pair of opposed hannels, a series of rods whose opposite ends are received in said channels, a series of overlapping, perforated sheets supported by said rods, respectively, and sheet-positioning said rods are received on one set of faces of said sheets, said means presenting abutments on the opposite set of faces of said sheets, the latter being thereby locked between said abutments and said rods.

9. A -file comprising, in combination, a support presenting a pair of opposed channels and a pair of opposed shoulders, a series of rods whose opposite ends are received in said channels, a series of overlapping, I perforated sheets supported by said rods, respectively, and sheet-positioning means received in the perforations of said sheets and presenting openings in which said rods are received on one set of faces of said sheets, said. means presenting abutments on the opposite set of faces of said sheets, the latter being thereby locked between said abutments and said rods, said means being received between said shoulders and limited thereby as to movement lengthwise of said rods.

10. A file comprising, in combination, a

support presenting a pair of opposed channels, a series of rods whose opposite ends are received in said channels, a series of overlapping sheets supported by said rods, respectively, and means interlocking .with said support intermediate said channels and interlocking with said sheets to limit movement of the latter lengthwise of said rods, said means engaging one another serially and positioning said sheets length- 40 wise of said channels.

11. A file comprising, in combinatlon, a-

support presenting a pair of opposed channels, a series of rods whose opposlte ends are received in said channels, a series ofoverlapping sheets supported by said rods, re-

spectively, and means interlocking with said support intermediate said channels and interlocking with said sheets to limit movement of the latter lengthwise of said rods,

said rods being adapted to permit said sheets togbe swung about the axes of said rods.

12. A file comprising, in combination, a

support presenting a pair of opposed channels, a series of rods whose opposite ends are received in said channels, a series of folded,

overlapping sheets whose folds receive said rods, respectively, and means interlocking' With said support intermediate said channels and interlocking with said sheets to limit movement of the latter lengthwise of said rods.

13. A filecomprising. in combination, a support presenting a pair of'opposed channels, a series of rods whose opposite ends are 55 received in said channels, a series of folded,

14:. A file comprising, in combination, a-

support presenting a pair of opposed chan-' nels, a series of rods whose opposite ends are received in said channels, a series of folded, perforated, overlapping sheets whose folds receive said rods, respectively, and means interlocking with said support intermediate said channels and received in the perforations of said sheets to limit movement of the latter lengthwise of said rods, said means presenting openings in which said rods are received within the folds of said sheets and presenting abutments without the folds of said sheets, the latter being thereby locked between said abutments and said rods.

15. The combination of a perforated sheet, and sheet-holding means comprising a rod, means received in the perforation of said sheet and loosely attached to said rod,.and means which loosely receives'the last-mentioned means and positions the same and said sheet irrespective of the lengthwise position of said rod.

16. The combination of a perforated sheet, and sheet-holding means comprising a rod, means received in the perforation of said sheet and receiving said rod, means which receives said rodand positions the same lengthwise, and means'which receives the second-mentioned means and positions the same and said sheet lengthwise of said rod but irrespective of the lengthwise position of the latter.

17. The combination of a perforated sheet, and sheet-holding means comprising a rod, means received in the perforation of said sheet, receiving said rod on one side of said sheet and provided with an abutment on the other side of said sheet, the latter being therebyheld between said abutment and said rod,'and means which loosely receives said abutment and positions the same and said sheet irrespective of the lengthwise position of said rod.

18. The combination of a perforated sheet, and sheet-holding means comprising a rod, means received in the perforation of said sheet and attached to said rod, and

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